Cigar lighter



Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES SAMUEL B. LAVICK, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS CIGAIR LIGHTER Application filed September 19, 1927. Serial No.220,300.

My invention relates to portable cigar lighters.

It relates more particularly to an improved type of portable lighterwherein the lighting element is in the form of wound electricalresistance with a small battery carried in the casing of the lighterserving to supply current to the resistance.

The principal object of the inventionis the provision of an improvedportable lighter. v

Another object is the provision of a portable lighter adapted to operateby means of battery current.

Another object is the provision of a portable electric lighter withmechanism for preventingV unnecessary use of the battery current. a

Another object is to provide a portable electric lighter with means forpositively preventing loss of current when the lighter is not in use.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration 'of the following detailed descriptiontaken with theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a plan view showing one formwhich the lighter may take;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in section showing a modified formwhich the invention may take.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the lighter comprises acasing 10 with a hinged bottom 11 and an integral top 12, a battery 13being adapted to be held by the casing so that its terminals 14 and 16project upwardly through the top 12.

The entire switching means and lighting element are carried by the topof the casing and are housed under a cover 17 pivoted by means of apivot pin 18 to ears 19 extending upwardly from the casing top..

The battery terminal 14 makes Contact with the casing in the mannershown and this terminal is covered by an insulating block 21 on top ofwhich a lighting element 22 is imbedded in the manner shown. One

50 terminal 28 of the lighting element extends downwardly under theinsulating block 21 and makes contact with the casing top 12 with whichthe terminal 14 connects. The other terminal 24 of the lighting elementis connected at 25 to a switch by a spring contact member 26 which issecured to the top by means of a rivet 27. This Contact strip issuitably insulated from the casing top in the manner shown, an extensionof the insulating block 21 aiding in maintaining this member out ofengagement with the casing top.

The terminal 16 extending upwardly through the casing top is preventedfrom forming contact therewith by means of an insulating ring 28. 1t isdirectly under the movable end of the contact member 26 however, solthat pressing the contact member downwardly has the effect of closingthe circuit between the two battery terminals through the lightingelement 22 so as to cause a glowing of the same.

The switch means provided in Figs. 1 and 2 is adapted to utilize amechanical ar-y rangement whereby the cover 17 can be swung back toexpose the lighting element by pressing a button provided for thepurpose. The action of pressing the button to uncover the lightingelement is made to have the concomitant effect of closing the circuit.

In this preferred form the casing is pro- `vided with an outfiaredportion 29 of general tubular shape, while immediately above theresulting tubular opening the casing top is formed to result in anupstanding cylindrical projection 31. A button32 has its shank 33extending into the cylindrical projection 31, and the shank is providedwith a widened bottom 34 for preventing the complete extraction of thesame. The bottom of the button 32 is equipped with an integral rwasher35 of insulating material which is adapted to engage against a pair ofears 17 a forming a part of the cover, so that the button will pressdownwardly against the ears to swing the cover about its pivot 18, butthe insulating washer 36 will prevent all possibility of a short circuitbeing established in any way through the casing. A compression spring 36is provided around the shank between the bottom of the button and thecasing top, so that the button will at all times be returned to itsnormal upright position as soon as the linger is removed therefrom.

In the operation of the lighter, the button 32 is pressed downwardly sothat it engages the top of the ear 17a and opens the cover. As itispressed farther downwardly, the insulating washer 35 strikes theupturned end 26a of the contacting member 26 and forces it downwardlyinto engagement with the battery terminal 16. This completes a circuitwhich is traced from the battery terminal 14 to they casing terminal 23,light element 22, terminal 24, switch member 26 and back to batteryterminal 16.

The circuit will be closed as long as the finger is held on the button32 but as soon as it is released the spring 36 will be effeetiveand'force the button upwardly so as to permit the contact to be broken.If by any chance, the button should stick, and the spring fail to forceit upwardly, the closing of the cover would result in the ears 17aengaging the bottom of the button and positively forcing it upwardly.This would prevent any possibility of a connection being formed whilethe\"lighter is on the person of the user or otherwise out of use.

`Any suitable means may be provided to retain the cover 17 in openposition when it is no longer held by the button 32. To accomplish thisresult, it is simply necessary to form the ears 19 so as to make a closeengagement with the cover and suicient friction will result so as tohold the cover in whatever position it is placed. This is a simple wayof accomplishing this result but it is obvious that other means may beprovided.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 3,'the cover isopened directly without the intervention of a button and means isprovided whereby the opening of the cover y also serves to close thecircuit. Positive means is also provided so that when the lighter is notin use, the circuit will not be closed so as to permit the heatlng ofthe lighting element and a resultant loss of battery power.

In this form of the invention, the casing 110 is adapted to hold thebattery the same as in the preferred form, while the casing top 112 hasthe same arrangement with respect to the battery terminals and thelighting 'element 122 as in the main form. The cover 117 is alsosubstantially the same with the exception that instead of the ears 17, atransverse section 41 of insulating material is secured to the cover insuch a, way that when the cover is opened, this member will engage thecontacting member 126 and force it into engagement with the terminal11G. A guard 42 is provided about this end of the cover in the mannershown so that the top of the lighter is entirely closed and thepossibility of foreign mattei' entering the cover and short-circuitingthe terminals tain detailed forms of my invention, it is apparent that Ido not restrict myself to any particular structure, the invention beinglimited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patentis:

1. A portable electric cigar lighter comprising a casing, a battery inthe casing and having terminals projecting therethrough, an insulatingheat resisting block on top of the casing, a heating element partiallyembedded in the top of said block and having one of its terminalsconnected to one of the battery terminals, a switch member of springmaterial secured to the top of the casing in electrical Contact with theother terminal of the heating element and with its free end eX- tendingover t'he unconnected battery terminal, a cover pivoted to the casingand normally functioning to cover the heating element, terminals andswitch member, and means operated by the opening of the cover forforcing said switch member into contact with the associated batteryterminal.

2. A portable electric cigar lighter comprising a casing, a battery inthe casing and having terminals projecting therethrough, an insulatingheat resisting block on top of the casing, a heating element partiallyembedded in the top of said block and having one of its terminalsconnected to one of the battery terminals, a switch member of springmaterial secured to the top of the casing in electrical contact with theother terminal of the heating element and with its free end extendingover the unconnected battery terminal, a cover pivoted to the casing andnormally functioning to cover the heating element, terminals and switchmember, a projection on the cover behind its pivot point and a coveropening member serving to press the cover` extension downwardly to openthe same, and so disposed that continued downward movement causes anengagement of the switch member to force it into contact with theassociated battery terminal.

3. A portable electric cigar llghter comprising a casing, a battery inthe caslng and having terminals projecting therethrough, an insulatingheat resisting block on top of the casing, a heating element partiallyem bedded in the top of said block and having one of its terminalsconnected to one of the battery terminals, a switch member of springmaterial secured to the top of the casing in electrical contact with theother terminal of the heating element and with its free end extendingover the unconnected battery terminal, a cover pivoted to the casing andnormally functioning to cover lthe heating element, terminals and switchmember, a projection on the rear of the cover, a button having its shankin slidable engagement with the casing, the button extending over theprojection on the cover and also over the end of the switch member, anda spring normally distending the button, pressure of the button againstthe spring serving to open the cover and press the switch member intocontact with the associated battery terminal, releasing of the buttonserving to disconnect the switch member from the battery terminal andstill leave the cover open, and the manual closing of the cover servingto engage the cover projection underneath the button so as to positivelyforce the same out of possible engagement with said switch member. I

4. A portable electric cigar lighter comprising a casing, a battery inthe casing and having terminals projecting therethrough, an insulatingheat resisting block on top of the casing, a heating element partiallyembedded in the top of said block and havmg one of its terminalsconnected to one of the battery terminals, a switch member of springmaterial secured to the top of the casing in electrical contact with theother terminal of the heating element and with its free end extendingover the unconnected battery terminal, a cover pivoted to the casing andnormally functioning to cover the heating element, terminals and switchmember, and a projection on the cover adapted to engage said switchmember and force it against the associated battery terminal when thecover is opened.

5. In a portable electric cigar lighter acasing, a battery in the casinghaving a pair ofterminals, a heating element supported on the casing, ahinged cover for said heating element, resilient means tending tomaintain said cover in closed position, and means for i electricallyconnecting the battery terminals to the heating element in response tothe opening of said cover.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day ofSeptember, 1927.

SAMUEL B. LAVICK.

